Canadian musicians and other performers are celebrating the end of the unpopular “tour tax.”

Industry groups are thanking Ottawa for changes to rules governing temporary work permits for bars and other small venues.

Ministers Jason Kenney (Employment) and Chris Alexander (Citizenship and Immigration) announced the changes Tuesday as part of Ottawa’s larger review of the federal government’s temporary foreign worker program. Before the change, foreign musicians and other performers had to apply for a permit for short-term work.

“Permit changes … for foreign music artists will dramatically improve the landscape for much of the live music community in Canada for the benefit of venues across the country, artist managers, agents, Canadian record labels, as well as Canadian and foreign artists,” Music Canada, the Canadian Independent Music Association and others said.

“Effective immediately, all foreign artists performing in time-limited engagements — so, on contract for a tour for instance — and their essential crew will no longer have to expend the time or the cost to obtain a work permit, regardless of what kind of venue they’re performing in across Canada.

“If an artist has been hired for a permanent position, however, they will need to go through a different process.”